So you see different models sold in Europe or elsewhere yet not available in the states. Whats up with that?Can't even get some of them because they're ot shipped here. Seems like if you have to order a car then they can just ship it on a different vessel.

Lots of it has to do with emissions and safety equipment. I'd love to have a diesel Hilux or a diesel D90, but it's just not gonna happen any time soon.

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined. - Patrick Henry

There are several reasons that not all models are available here. The main reason is money, for the most part there would have to be a large enough market to make it cost effective to sell them here. Expensive sports cars would be a very small market, adding more marquees and models to this already crowded field would likely end up with the new companies failing here, and probably some of the aleady established players leaveing the market. There just isn't that big of a pie to slice up. I wish there were more peole willing to pay 40K plus ofr a two seater but there aren't.

The second reason is regulations, diesels are screwed based on US emmisions requirements, there are other models that would require signifigant redesign for US safety requirements. Typically it is not small things like yellow/side marker lamps that prevent the manufacturer from importing them here, as those things would be very easy and cheap to install. It is not easy to reduce NOX emmisions in a diesel or redesign a unibody to conform to safety standards, without changing the nature of the car.

I am not saying I agree with the laws and regulations, just saying that it is generally not minor little things that keep these vehicles out.

Not that I want one-because I don't. But the Toyota Echo isn't being distributed in the states anymore. It is in Canada & Europe but not available here, anymore. All the emissions and safety standards are up to date but they feel the Corolla will provide better ride, moire room & about the same mileage for just a little more $$$. I agree with them but many don't.

You should see all the cool 250-500cc motorcycle choices available overseas that we can't get here. The manufacturers don't see a market, yet used bikes in that range sell so fast it's hard to find them sometimes.

Originally Posted By Admiral_Crunch:You should see all the cool 250-500cc motorcycle choices available overseas that we can't get here. The manufacturers don't see a market, yet used bikes in that range sell so fast it's hard to find them sometimes.

A lot of countries have restrictions for beginner motorbike riders which limit the bikes the beginners can ride on public roads until they get a full licence. In most cases this will be a flat limit on the engine displacement, but in some cases it will be a power/weight limit so a larger bike with a low power engine is as legal as a smaller bike with a more powerful engine.

Then there are some countries that divide the bikes into different catagories based on engine displacement and each catagory needs a particular grade of licence. Japan is one of those countries. Want to ride a bigger bike? You have to qualify for the higher grade licence first. Some people never bother going beyond a particular grade, so there is a captive market in those countries for bikes in sizes that aren't typical in the US.

Here in Australia it varies a little on a state by state basis. Where I live, Victoria (and most other Aust states), riders are limited to a 260cc or smaller bike for the first few years. Once they have a full motorcycle licence, they can ride anything they want. New South Wales has a power/weight scheme for the first few years of riding and Queensland has a special scheme that allows you to get onto an unrestricted licence (ride any bike) in only a few months if you meet certain conditions. I have a friend who went through that scheme and was on the latest model Yamaha R1 in only a couple of months. He and I went riding through some nearby hills one day, he dropped it in a corner and literally knocked himself out for 5-10 minutes despite having an up to date full face helmet on. He's getting better with more experience, but he really did bite off more than he could chew for a while with that bike and his limited experience.

Market research and NHTSA regs, it costs a lot to get a car to market here and if it won't make a good profit then it ain't gonna show up.Also americans are safety freaks. Many of those foreign couldn't pass a crash test if it were wrapped in thirty foot thick bubble wrap.

I don't have an answer, but I'd love to see the club cab (4 full size doors), 4x4, diesel Ford Ranger I saw in Germany. I'm not 100% sure it was a ranger, because I had just come out of a pub, but it looked exactly like one. If they had a truck like that in the US that could get high 20's to 30mpg, they would sell a shitload of them IMO. Tacomas and rangers seem to be the most popular trucks used by mailmen around here.

I can think of various reasons why:-The American arm of the manufacturers don't feel there will be a market for their foreign-market models here-DOT and EPA regs, crashworthiness-personally, the manufacturer big-wigs have their heads up their asses and can't deliver what the people want(GM this means you, you have a whole fleet of Aussie stuff you can send here(I read in Motor Trend that there are a lot of combinations out of one Aussie platform.)

I wouldn't mind the Holden Ute SS(a GTO with a pickup on the back they sell in Australia

Going to AR15ARMORY.com is like going into the twilight zone. Same names, same subjects but it is still wierd as hell-VTHOKIESHOOTER

Originally Posted By twonami:I would kill for a aussie market extended cab Land Cruiser pickup.

Would it bother you that I drove those? My aunte has a LC78 Troop carrier along with a couple hi-lux diesels that her ranch workers use.

Also owned a 88 Ford Falcon XF, 79 Holden Torana. Flipped a Holden Commodore at Cadler Park raceway, side swiped a wall at Cadler PArk testing a brand new 89 Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R and got the Falcon I was driving tangled up at Ipswitch on the 2nd lap in the first Australian race I was ever in

BTW I'm looking into trying to import a Toyota LC78 "pickup".

This is what I want. No frills, no yuppie crap like GPS, onstar, auto 4wd. Basically a pure work vehicle.

Originally Posted By deej86:I can think of various reasons why:-The American arm of the manufacturers don't feel there will be a market for their foreign-market models here-DOT and EPA regs, crashworthiness-personally, the manufacturer big-wigs have their heads up their asses and can't deliver what the people want(GM this means you, you have a whole fleet of Aussie stuff you can send here(I read in Motor Trend that there are a lot of combinations out of one Aussie platform.)

That's an economy of scale thing. Holden (the GM branch in Aus) and Ford-Aus both use a basic chassis/mechanical platform and then spin as many different vehicles as they can from that one platform (obviously Holden and Ford have their own seperate platforms). Aus is a small market so it's not cost effective to have to tool up multiple production lines for different chassis types just to cover different market segments. The other models under those brands that use a different chassis/platform are normally imports.

For Holden, the same chassis/platform is used for the GTO/Monaro, a 4 door sedan (multiple models with different interior & trim packages), station wagon, 2 door ute ("utility", a light pickup), and a 4 door crewcab ute.

Originally Posted By twonami:I would kill for a aussie market extended cab Land Cruiser pickup.

Would it bother you that I drove those? My aunte has a LC78 Troop carrier along with a couple hi-lux diesels that her ranch workers use.

Also owned a 88 Ford Falcon XF, 79 Holden Torana. Flipped a Holden Commodore at Cadler Park raceway, side swiped a wall at Cadler PArk testing a brand new 89 Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R and got the Falcon I was driving tangled up at Ipswitch on the 2nd lap in the first Australian race I was ever in